Best Western® Hotels & Resorts Brings
BW Premier Collection® to Asia

(Bangkok – March 15, 2017) Best Western Hotels & Resorts has unveiled plans to bring its new upscale hotel concept, BW Premier Collection, to Asia for the first time.

The world famous hotel group has signed an agreement with Thai real estate company, Habitat Group, for BluPhere Pattaya - a new-build eight-storey project in Na Jomtien, a peaceful beach front setting on Thailand’s popular Eastern Seaboard.

Located just 100 meters from the beach, a few minutes from the attractions of downtown Pattaya, and just over an hour’s drive from Bangkok, BluPhere Pattaya is a brand new property providing 195 apartment-style units ideal for upscale family getaways. The property will retain its existing branding and will be managed by Best Western as part of the BW Premier Collection, its upscale “soft brand”.

The property will benefit from Best Western’s global support network, including employees training, sales and marketing, global distribution, quality control and access to Best Western Rewards®, the company’s popular loyalty program.

BW Premier Collection is a carefully curated portfolio of upscale and luxury boutique hotels, selected for their superior facilities and unique personalities. Like all Best Western hotels worldwide, BW Premier Collection provides their guests with exemplary service and complimentary Wi-Fi throughout their stay.

“Thailand’s tourism industry is in an extremely healthy position. Simply looking at the numbers, Thailand welcomed a record 32.6 million international visitors and generated THB2.52 trillion (US $71.8 billion) in revenues in 2016, which exceeded the initial government targets set at the start of the year,” said Olivier Berrivin, Best Western’s Managing Director of International Operations - Asia.

“But looking beyond the figures, Thailand is creating a strong and sustainable base on which to build its tourism industry in future. The country’s stated ambition of focusing on quality tourists will raise visitor spending, extend average length-of-stay, and build a more prosperous tourism economy for all stakeholders, allowing the Kingdom to continue reaping the benefits of tourism in future.

“In line with this strategy, BW Premier Collection is a great fit for Thailand. Designed for guests who crave individuality, character and local charm, this upscale concept is expanding into some of the world’s most sought-after destinations. We are delighted to bring BW Premier Collection to Asia with BluPhere Pattaya, and to continue our close relationship with the Habitat Group,” Olivier added.

This signing marks the second collaboration between Best Western and Habitat Group, following the Best Western Premier® BayPhere Pattaya - another upscale development on Thailand’s Eastern Seaboard, which is becoming one of Asia’s most desirable destinations.

According to the 2016 Mastercard® Asia Pacific Destinations Index, Pattaya was the tenth most-visited Asian city last year, attracting 7.3 million international visitors, 25.2 million room nights and US$3.3 billion in visitor expenditure. This makes it Thailand’s third most popular destination, after Bangkok and Phuket.

Officially launched in 2014, BW Premier Collection is a selection of independent upscale hotels in key destinations around the world, including San Francisco, New York, New Orleans, Vancouver, Paris, Rome, Stockholm, Edinburgh and Liverpool.

ABOUT BEST WESTERN HOTELS & RESORTSBest Western Hotels & Resorts headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, is a privately held hotel brand with a global network of 4,200† hotels in more than 100† countries and territories worldwide. Best Western offers seven hotel brands to suit the needs of developers and guests in every market: Best Western®, Best Western Plus®, Best Western Premier®, Executive Residency by Best Western®, Vīb®, BW Premier Collection® and GLō®. Now celebrating more than 70 years of hospitality, Best Western provides its hoteliers with global operational, sales and marketing support, and award-winning online and mobile booking capabilities. Best Western continues to set industry records regarding awards and accolades, including nearly sixty percent of the brand’s North American hotels earning a TripAdvisor® Certificate of Excellence award in 2016, Business Travel News® ranking Best Western Plus and Best Western in the top three upper-mid-price and mid-price hotel brands for three years in a row, and Best Western receiving five consecutive Dynatrace® Best of the Web gold awards for best hotel website. Best Western has also won eight AAA®/CAA® Lodging Partner of the Year awards, recognizing the brand’s commitment to providing exceptional service and great value to AAA’s 56 million members in the U.S. and Canada. Nearly 30 million travelers are members of the brand’s award-winning loyalty program Best Western Rewards®, one of the few programs in which members earn points that never expire and can be redeemed at any Best Western hotel worldwide. Best Western’s partnerships with AAA/CAA and Harley-Davidson® provide travelers with exciting ways to interact with the brand. Through its partnership with Google® Street View, Best Western is the first major company of its size and scale to launch a virtual reality experience for customers, setting a new industry standard and reinventing how guests view hotels.